Feb 25, 2008

*Taylor Swift hangs with Chris Daughtry backstage at Ellen’s special GRAMMY Day episode. Taylor was the lead guest on the show, which taped on GRAMMY day, Sunday, February 10th, at the Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles. Both Taylor and Daughtry hit the GRAMMY red carpet immediately after the taping.

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

• Just In: Trisha Yearwood Featured In Yahoo! Music’s NISSAN Live Sets
• Taylor Swift Set For Performance On CMT Music Awards; Single R&R #1 Most Added
• Jack Ingram Single Breakthrough: Research, Chart Moves, Sales
• Big Machine Country Radio Seminar Highlights 

ARTIST NEWSFLASH

*Trisha Yearwood becomes the first female country artist and only the second country artist chosen for Yahoo! Music's top-tier music performance platform, NISSAN Live Sets.  Trisha's 7-camera HD shoot was filmed this week on a Los Angeles sound stage which has recently featured performances from Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, Rascal Flatts, Tony Bennett and Matchbox 20.  Yahoo! Music's NISSAN Live Sets is spotlighted across the Yahoo! network, receiving prime, homepage placement.  In addition, each episode of Live Sets airs on MTV Network's HD channel, M-HD.  Trisha's episode of the series premieres online at http://music.yahoo.com on March 3rd, with the TV premiere occurring in April.  Trisha performed her hits and numerous tracks from her Top 10-selling Big Machine collection Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love.

*Jack Ingram’s exclusive Nike/iTunes workout-infused release of THIS IS IT will be available this Tuesday, and the rising star’s love affair with running began when he fell in love with his wife Amy.  “I started running almost 20 years ago when I met and started dating a girl, Amy…she’s now my wife,” recalls Jack.  “I heard her mention that she jogged so I told her that I was into that as well…my first lie!  We arranged to go for a run.  We set out for the road and a few minutes into the jog I was teasing and sprinting and doing my best to win her over figuring that this shouldn’t take long and we would be going to get a drink fairly soon.”  Jack continues: “After a while I was getting short of breath and assumed that we were almost done… we were not!  I asked her how much longer she could keep this up and figured she was probably getting tired… she was not!  Forty minutes later as I trailed behind and heard her giggling I told her to go on ahead and I would catch up later…I was in love.  Still am…with running…oh, and her too!”

*RANDOM NOTES: Taylor Swift has been announced as a performer on the CMT Music Awards premiering April 14th at 8PM ET…Trisha Yearwood joins the list of artists featured in the Got Milk? ad campaign.  Trisha took part in the photo shoot for the ad a few weeks back; no word yet on when Trisha’s photos will run.
 

COUNTRY RADIO SEMINAR (CRS 39) BIG MACHINE ARTIST PERFORMANCES

Wednesday, March 5th at 9:30PM:

*An evening with TRISHA YEARWOOD and introducing FISHER STEVENSON (in conjunction with CMT) / Location: aVenue / RSVP here for more info!

Thursday, March 6th at 9:30PM:

*The Ultimate Guitar Pull with JEWEL, JACK INGRAM & JIMMY WAYNE – Hosted by TAYLOR SWIFT featuring performances by JUSTIN MOORE & SUNNY SWEENEY (in conjunction with GAC and ABC Radio) / Location: FUEL / RSVP here for more info!

Friday, March 7th at 7:00PM:

*CRS New Faces Show featuring TAYLOR SWIFT / Convention Center

BILLBOARD REVIEW – “Picture To Burn”

“Taylor Swift has been proclaimed the first bona fide country superstar of the MySpace generation, but you don't have to be an Internet-obsessed teen to appreciate the honesty in her lyrics and the passion she brings to her music. Last effort "Our Song" remained at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for six consecutive weeks. "Picture to Burn" is the fourth single culled from the 18-year-old singer/songwriter's double-platinum debut, a feisty uptempo number marked by Swift's youthful exuberance and personality-packed vocals. The lyric finds her dismissing an inconsiderate boyfriend by verbally bashing his beloved pickup truck, threatening to date all his friends and gleefully proclaiming, "As far as I'm concerned you're just another picture to burn." This is a totally infectious slice of fun with a singalong chorus that you won't be able to dismiss from your memory bank. Swift has been a breath of fresh air blowing through the country format (and beyond), and this terrific tune is sure to continue her momentum.” —Deborah Evans Price

*Jack Ingram played host to XM Highway 16 PD Jon Anthony and his wife Jaimie (pictured above) after a show in Portland, Maine opening for Toby Keith.

*Taylor Swift taped an installment of Yahoo! Music’s PEPSI Smash #1 Fan program last weekend in Orlando during her sold-out show at Hard Rock Live. The program features two diehard Taylor fans that get to meet the rising star; look for the episode to premiere next month. Pictured above with Taylor are the two fans chosen for the episode and Yahoo! Music producer Steve Izay.

*Trisha Yearwood, who is visiting radio in between dates on her current concert tour, stopped by KVOO in Tulsa to say hello to new PD Luke Jenson and meet listeners.

*New Big Machine artist Fisher Stevenson kicked off his 2008 radio tour on February 5th in Minneapolis, and has already made numerous stops, including KATM/Stockton. Pictured above (l-r): Big Machine’s Larry Hughes, Fisher, KATM PD Randy “Bubba” Black, and Big Machine’s Jack Purcell.

*During his recent benefit concerts in Los Angeles, Garth Brooks spent some time visiting with radio guests in attendance, including Jones Radio Director of Country Programming Hank Aaron (pictured above).

*Prior to a recent concert in the Tampa area, Trisha Yearwood spent some time with radio guests, including consultant Keith Hill (pictured above).